Earlier this year, culinary historian Lavada Nahon presented her gorgeous gingerbread recipe to the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, the last existing farmhouse in Manhattan! And I was there undercover to taste and enjoy.

Recently, I tried my hand at this recipe originally seen in The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, a book by Mrs. H. Glasse, published 1745 and 1796.

The first time I made them, they oozed out across the cookie sheets.

This second time, I discovered I need to chill the dough for more than an hour. Seems that pouring warm molasses and heavy cream into the butter and flour mixture melts the butter, a no no.

I have no idea what people in the 1700s did during this phase. Perhaps they just let the mixture sit for a moment in their freezing cold homes.

For more information, go to lavadanahon.com.

Related Article: The Most Intimate Puppet Interview Ever

Related Article: The Baking Gods Have Spoken